Anti-graft drive to cover all sectors
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the drive against casinos and all kinds of corruption was going on and would continue until the crimes are eliminated from all levels of the society.
Laws were being strictly enforced against all criminals irrespective of their political affiliations, she told parliament while replying to a query from Jatiya Party MP Rowshan Ara Mannan.
Responding to another question from JP lawmaker Mujibul Haque Chunnu, the leader of the House said the Anti-Corruption Commission was working to bring all the corrupt to book.
“Apart from politicians, legal actions are also being taken against government employees and other people during the anti-graft drive.”
The premier informed the House that the ACC has already urged the Singapore government to provide it with information on some Bangladeshis who played in casinos there.
Answering to a query from opposition lawmaker Rustum Ali Faraji, Hasina said the government has adopted zero tolerance policy against all criminal activities, including corruption, terrorism, drugs and gambling.
She said the drive against corruption, drug, terrorism, and gambling would continue in all sectors and places, including districts, upazilas and municipalities.
ROHINGYA CRISIS
Responding to a supplementary question from Shahiduzzaman Sarker MP of Awami League, the PM said building trust among Rohingya refugees for their repatriation depends on Myanmar.
She said the government has already discussed the Rohingya issue with India and China to find a permanent solution to the crisis. “We hope they will play an active role in this regard.”
Hasina said Bangladesh has also discussed the issue with Myanmar’s other neighbours, including Thailand and Laos.
“We’ve received a good response from everyone. They all realised that the crisis should be resolved. They [India, China, Laos and Thailand] want to see the return of Rohingyas and keep their relations with Myanmar intact.”
The PM said Myanmar once showed interest in taking back Rohingyas and a list of Rohingyas was also prepared in this regard.
“But suddenly a movement was waged by the Rohingyas as they didn’t want to return to Myanmar without their safety and security being ensured there.”
She said it would be possible to resolve the crisis if Myanmar could build trust among Rohingyas.
In response to a query from Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary MP, Hasina said her government would not allow anyone to use Bangladesh land for carrying out insurgent or terrorist activities in any neighbouring country.
Nazibul Bashar, chairman of Tarikat Federation, a component of the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance, alleged that late president Ziaur Rahman and his wife Khaleda Zia had previously provided arms to Rohingya insurgents and now the BNP-Jamaat were trying to create anarchy using the Rohingyas as they realised that they won’t be able to unseat the government through democratic movements or elections.
“The BNP-Jamaat has also appointed lobbyists in this connection. What measures have been taken by the government in this regard?” he enquired the leader of the House.
The premier said, “There is no doubt that Ziaur Rahman had a hand in creating the Rohingya crisis. The politics of killing and coup had started in Bangladesh following the killing of the Father of the Nation in 1975. The Chittagong Hill Tracts crisis began from 1976-77, while the Rohingya crisis from 1978.”
Hasina said her government always believe in peaceful solution to the Rohingya crisis and it has already taken initiatives in this regard.
‘NO PLAN TO EXPORT GAS’
Answering to a question from Opposition Chief Whip Mashiur Rahman Ranga, the premier said her government had no plan to export natural gas to India’s northeastern states.
She said the government has taken various measures to ensure energy security considering it as the highest priority.
Hasina said during her recent visit to India, she and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi jointly inaugurated the activities of exporting bulk LPG to Tripura from Bangladesh.
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